At first, I was not to excited about this stretch of graduations. Having to listen to endless valedictorian speeches where the kids never look up from the paper their reading from, sitting through the countless names that are announced, the screaming family... etc.
But I got to thinking tonight, graduations are a great source of moments. Something photographers live for. Every aspect of a graduation is filled with moments. From the grads hanging out back stage getting ready, to the kid who holds his hands in the air after getting the diploma, to the parents giving their child a hug and a bouquet of balloons.
So I went into tonight's graduation with the mind frame that I can make pictures the entire time. (This attitude got a little help from a can of Red Bull and a Starcrunch)
If you want to become a better photographer, go shoot a graduation. Good photography is about catching moments. And I can't think of a better venue with a bunch of moments all under one roof than a graduation.
Everything from little moments that you happen to be in the right place for...
To big moments that you can prepair for...
For a little background:
In the first shot, the girl is giving the peace sign to a teacher who's sitting a few chairs down from me. (Side Note: This happens to be the same young lady who is cutting down the basketball net from that photo debate thing a while ago)
The second shot is of Toni Fitch hugging "one of my four best friends" after getting the keys to a new car. When I was walking out of the Civic Center following the ceremony, this guy grabbed and said to go wait outside the door. So I kind of new what was going to happen and made sure to be in the right place. Jackpot.
Now, don't get me wrong, I've been to graduations where nothing happens... or maybe I'm just not in the right place when they do happen. But the moments are there, and it's up to the photographer to hunt them down and shoot them.
And cross your fingers that the next four graduations go a well as tonight's did.
